Animal Instincts

A.N: Hello and welcome to “Animal Instincts”! This fiction is rated M for a reason so if you’re under age or get offended easily by yaoi material, please turn back. Reviews are welcome. Please feel free to tell me any opinions or ideas you have after the story. Thank you to the amazingly talented OmniStrife for beta-ing my work. I bow down before your amazing editing skills.

Without further ado, I give you….

Animal Instincts

*~*~* *~*~*

The heat was all around him, coursing through his veins as he ran through the woods. Heavy vegetation attached to thick branches was narrowly avoided as his naked limbs flew. The exhilaration of speed pumped through his blood and spread throughout his body until he was one relentless movement. He reveled in simply being alive.

The voices were starting to fade as his bare feet danced across the forest floor. Pine needles stuck to the bottoms of his heels, and he loved it. The smell of mako and guns were but a distant memory. They couldn’t catch him, anyway. He was the fucking wind. No machine, no SOLDIER, no Gaia damned monster had control of him anymore.

The revelation was like liquid emotion, bubbling around in his lungs until it threatened to burst through his bare chest. Never breaking stride, he through back his head and let out a joyful howl. He was free.

‘Free…dom.’ The word was slow in forming in his head but he didn’t wonder. He didn’t care.

Mako-enhanced green eyes zeroed in on a swirl of color zigzagging through the trees thirty paces ahead of him. His lips twisted into a feral grin, teeth glinting white in the bright sunlight. A growl escaped through his twisted smile. Adrenaline hit him full blast then, causing his unclothed cock to rise with anticipation.

‘Zack fight,’ he thought, pushing his body forward even faster. His aching balls slammed against his flesh, causing him to lose focus for a moment. “Zack fuck?” he murmured doubtfully.

The cocking of a gun made his decision for him. Fighting it was. He cascaded smoothly up the side of tree as a bullet came zooming dangerously close to his ear. Using the trunk as leverage, he launched himself off of its base and landed on all fours in front of the startled grunt. His head lifted and offered the woman a smirk.

The brunette cadet frantically struggled to reload the barrel. Her fingers were shaking so badly that they kept slipping off the already well-oiled base of the gun. Forgoing the weapon altogether, the young woman took a hesitant step backward. “Don’t,” she pleaded. “Don’t be the animal they say you’ve become, Mr. Fair.”

He paused, relaxing his muscles that had been ready to attack. “Ani… mal?” He wasn’t an animal. That was wrong. His eyes glowed brightly, caught in-between confusion and anger. The woman eyed him wearily and hugged the useless weapon to her chest. Her blue eyes widened as he shook off the momentary doubt and grinned. No, that was wrong. Was he an animal? He wasn’t the one who had shoved unsuspecting innocents into tanks of mako and experimented on them.

That had to count for something.

His erection died down at the thought. Hissing between clenched teeth, he shifted his weight onto his palms and brought his right leg up in a solid kick to the woman’s face. It connected to her jaw with a satisfying “thwunk”. Bone crumbled under his enhanced strength, crumbling into dust in her face.

Blood poured out of her mouth. She wiped disbelievingly at the back of her lips before pulling her hand away and looking at it. Fragments of bone mixed in with the deep crimson of life-liquid. Her eyes widened at the sight and she screamed.

The sound grated on his sensitive hearing and he cringed. “Bad noise. No!” He roared over her shouts. She wouldn’t shut up. Why wouldn’t she listen? Hadn’t she understood him? “No no no! Bad noise!” If the wench didn’t stop screaming soon he’d lose it.

She kept screaming.

Letting loose an almost inhuman wail, he flipped himself over onto his feet and slapped his hands over his ears. Even through the protection of his palms, he could hear her clearly. She would alert the others. More would come. He would be captured and thrown back into that vile tank.

If he was such a monster then he could do what he needed to do. He was a beast; nothing more than a savage. After all, how could he not be? Even the strongest of SOLDIER wouldn’t be able to survive being made to witness the torture of a loved one; wouldn’t have been able to survive being immersed into a tank full of mako for three years. Everything had been taken from him, even his Gaia damned humanity.

Ignoring the very human protests in his mind, he removed his hands from his ears and looked deep into her eyes. “Ani…mal,” he whispered just before reaching out and snapping her neck.

It was blessedly silent.

He stepped over the woman’s fallen body, ignoring the tears that ran down his cheeks. Cloud would never have approved of that. Turning around sharply, he bent over and hoisted the woman’s body up in his arms. The least an animal-pretending-to-be-human could do was give its prey a proper burial.

Positioning the woman over his shoulder, he started forward. He was free. What was he going to do with himself? Now that he didn’t have Cloud to take care of, to love, he didn’t feel any particular drive. Sure his sense of smell had improved exponentially, sure he fought with even more efficiency than he had when he had been SOLDIER but what did that count for? He would rather lose his mind and fall back on these newly-developed animal instincts than to live a human life without Cloud.

Wiping bitterly at the dampness on his face, he picked up the speed. ‘Zack unhappy. Want Cloud!’ he thought, letting loose a raging howl. The release felt good but it wasn’t enough. It was also a very stupid move.

He growled as his now-sharp hearing focused in on the alerted SOLDIERs a few kilometers behind him. Despite having lost everything, he had no desire to return to that mako tank. He needed to keep moving. He recalled that the city of Midgar was nearby; that is, if his memory was of any use to him anymore.

He would continue being the animal he had become, living on in the memory of the only man who had ever made him human.

*~*~* *~*~*

Cloud ate his oatmeal, watching the drunkards of Seventh Heaven with weary eyes. The few inhabitants of the bar avoided his gaze, instead turning it to their collective drinks. They were either scared of him or in awe. Not that it mattered.

With his back facing the wall, Cloud shoveled a particularly large scoopful of mashed oats into his mouth and looked over at Tifa. She was too busy stocking to notice his perusal. Unpack, wash, dry, and repeat. The repetition was something familiar; something that brought meaning into the rebuilding of their lives. Even something as mundane as that was soothing.

If he were the type to care, he’d feel the loneliness gnawing at him. It had been three years since he had escaped the cliff over looking Midgar; three years since the death of the only person who could ever make him smile. Zack would never have let him sulk in the corner like this.

Cursing, he berated himself for thinking such a thing. Zack was dead. No amount of wishing would bring him back. Cloud had lost him to the ruins of a once great city… of a once great corporation.

Taking a moment to wipe his mouth, he scanned the interior of the bar for danger. Despite there now being peace in Midgar, old habits died hard.

He checked the clock and went back to eating. Hurrying to finish the meal, he choked slightly on the wayward piece of breakfast. Gaia. He would slow down but he had another delivery to make to Midgar in a few minutes; not that he would have stayed around to mingle even if he didn’t. It was too much for him to be around others.

Finishing the lost of his oatmeal he got to his feet, sheathing First Blade on his back. There wasn’t much danger on this next trip but one could never be too certain. Tifa caught his movements out of the corner of her eye and looked up.

“Another delivery?” She asked dejectedly. She knew the answer. It was always the same one. It wasn’t as if she could keep the man at her side. She set the glass she had been cleaning gently on the table top and leaned against the counter, waiting for a reply.

Cloud hesitated before nodding slowly. His face belied the guilt she knew he must be feeling; not like that would stop him. “There’s word of a wild man running through Midgar’s forests. The local people asked for me specifically to check it out. We needed the gil anyway.”

Tifa stopped herself from making a rude gesture. Yes, having gil was always a plus but there were other less dangerous ways of getting it. She stifled a sigh and turned back to the neglected glass. “Just make sure you come back alive,” She murmured.

Cloud stared at her back a moment before allowing his shoulders to sag minutely in defeat. He knew his actions, his constant need to be on the move, was ruining his life. He knew he was hurting those that loved him. He just couldn’t bring himself to give a damn. He deserved this pain; this emotional detachment from others. It was punishment for letting a true hero die.

He left the bar knowing he had hurt the woman he was supposed to love. Again.

The trip down to the outskirts of Midgar was uneventful. Cloud allowed himself to sink into the seductive power of Fenrir. The big bike purred between his legs, igniting a secret thrill; a lure of invincibility. He felt most alive when he was riding his bike. He was able to escape his thoughts with nothing but muscular steel beneath him and the wind surrounding him.

Switching the clutch into third gear, Cloud slowed the bike as he reached the dinky farm. He spotted two older men immersed in what looked like an animated conversation and parked Fenrir a few feet away from them.

The blonde got off of the bike and he leaned casually against it, waiting for one of the two to notice him. It didn’t take long for the bigger of the two to catch sight of the elegant ride. A big hulking man with a bushy beard, he made quite an impression as he lumbered over to Cloud.

“You the bounty hunter?” the man asked, tearing his gaze away from the bike. He looked the blonde up and down, taking in his slight frame. Disbelief shined in his faded blue eyes.

“The technical term is ‘Delivery Boy’,” Cloud corrected, straightening himself up. First impressions were everything. Despite his callous remark toward Tifa, they DID need the gil. He couldn’t afford to lose a potential client. “Are you the one who hired me?”

The man grunted in affirmation. He gestured behind him and a moment later they were joined by the second man. The new addition was smaller with a kinder face, arresting light purple eyes, and worn denim overalls. He looked like someone’s grandfather sans the oddly colored eyes.

Kind Man stuck his hand out in Cloud’s direction. “Name’s McDarren. I’m actually the one who inquired about your services.” Cloud shook his hand, hiding his dislike of the contact. This seemed to settle the bigger man down and he nodded once in the blonde’s direction. “An’ my name’s Dersley.”

Cloud crossed leaned back against his bike, content that he had made a good impression. He more than likely had the job. Now it was just a matter of getting the details and haggling over prices.

McDarren cut him off before he could open his mouth. “Do you have a moment to spare, child?” Cloud chose not to protest the nickname. He may have been twenty-two but he was just a sapling in comparison to these two. Cloud nodded.

“Good,” the kinder gentleman said, his eyes twinkling. “If you’ll follow me?” He turned his stooped back on them, expecting both to follow. They were led over to a wooden picnic table was bordered by a massive shed. Once everyone was settled, McDarren turned his otherworldly lavender eyes on Cloud.

“A while back there lived a great man. He was one of those genuine souls who loved to help people and had dreams as beautiful as he was famed to be. However, this man did have one fault. He worked for ShinRa as SOLDIER.”

Acid filled Cloud’s mouth as he listened to the man’s story. He prayed with every fiber of his being that this wasn’t one he already knew; one that involved the death of a great man.

“For many years,” McDarren continued. “This man fought many meaningless battles, disillusioned by ShinRa. He was told that he protected the people while all the while he destroyed their lives.

“He soon discovered the Company’s transgressions. Growing bitter, he turned against Shinra, taking with him a young cadet he had befriended. Gaia, however, wasn’t on their sides. They were captured and immersed for years in a tank full of mako. Many experiments were performed on them and the cadet soon became poisoned.

“By the grace of the Gods,” McDarren stopped to raise his eyes to the sky in silent reverence. Dersley followed suit. Cloud was going to be sick. He hoped the two men didn’t notice. ‘For the gil.’ Cloud reminded himself. ‘We need the gil.’

McDarren continued on, observing the blonde’s odd parlor but not commenting on it. “By the grace of the Gods,” he repeated, “The SOLDIER was able to rescue his friend and escape the mako tanks. They fled, hitching a ride on the back of my truck. On the way to their destination, the SOLDIER told me his story while his friend,” Lavender eyes slid over Cloud’s face gently. “Lay comatose in his arms.”

Cloud’s mouth opened and closed before he was finally able to sum up words. This man had known him and Zack? Goosebumps broke out on his skin. Wrapping his arms tightly around himself, he lowered his eyes. “I don’t need to hear anymore.” Cloud said, his voice sounding hollow, even to his own ears. He felt a gentle touch on his arm and he looked up. McDarren’s eyes were sympathetic.

Dersely spoke up for the first time. “Nah, kid. I think you’ll want to hear the rest of the tale. It’s not an ending you’d expect.”

Cloud shot a glare at the bearded man. How dare he? He knew more than anyone else the end to the fucking story! He didn’t need to relive it. Gil be damned. Starting to get up from the table, he was stopped by another touch to his arm. It was McDarren again. Were those tears in his eyes?

“No, my child. It isn’t an ending you’ve heard before. Won’t you humor an old man?” Despite his kind words, McDarren’s eyes were pleading. Feeling something give out in his heart, Cloud trembled once before nodding, hesitantly. Why he was allowing himself to go through this hell, he had no idea.

“We hadn’t gotten more than few miles before the SOLDIER told me to stop by the Midgar Cliffs. He thanked me and left with the cadet wrapped so protectively in his arms. I had never seen a man more careful. You could see the love in his eyes for the younger man.”

Cloud couldn’t stop the sob that escaped. He slapped a quivering hand over his mouth before shaking his head apologetically. McDarren waved his hand and continued.

“Now, the rest of the story is simple hearsay but it is one I can attest to personally. It has since been proved. It was said that ShinRa had cornered the SOLDIER and his cadet as they attempted to make their way over the cliffs. Since the younger man was comatose, they mistook him for dead and instead, open-fired upon the SOLDIER. Once satisfied that the man was going to die, they took their leave.”

Cloud couldn’t stop the tears that poured down his face. Why did this crazy old man think he didn’t know the ending? Maybe he blamed Cloud for Zack’s death and was giving him his own version of punishment. That was probably it. Cloud would force himself to bare the fruits of his actions. He needed to atone.

Dersley noticed the blonde’s eyes glazing over and leaned over to shake him. “Just listen, kiddo. It really isn’t as you’re expecting it to be.”

Cloud looked at them with dead eyes. McDarren, more determined than ever to bring the blonde he had formed an unknown attatchment all those years ago happiness, continued on. “But unbeknownst to any of them, the mad scientist, Hojo, stayed behind to oversee what happened. He watched as the cadet came around and approached his dying friend. Waiting for the opportune moment, Hojo cast stun on the SOLDIER to slow his heartbeat and pulse.

“When the cadet stumbled away, thinking his love dead, Hojo hoisted the SOLDIER onto his own shoulders and carried him back to the his vehicle. The rest is rather blurry, but it is said that Hojo revived the SOLDIER and emerged him into a tank of mako.

“Now, it would have been simple for the SOLDIER to break the tank but Hojo had thought a step ahead. He told the man that the cadet had succumbed to the mako poisoning and died shortly after at the bottom of the cliffs. Now, this is pure speculation on my part, but I had a feeling that the man I met so many years ago no longer wished to live. He let Hojo do as he wished.

“The SOLDIER was experimented on and tortured for three years before something in his mind snapped. Here is where fact comes in, child. The SOLDIER recently escaped the tank and began roaming the Midgar Forest. ShinRa was on alert but was unable to find him. The alert was sent out over five days ago. He would have since left that forest.”

McDarren turned his eyes to the very same forest that bordered his land only a few feet away. “The only exit out of the forest leads here.” Cloud stared at him, trying to grasp at what the man was hinting at. He wouldn’t believe any of it. There was no way…

Something wet fell on his arm. Of all the things to happen, it had to start raining on top of it? Cloud wanted to tear something apart. He pushed himself off of the picnic table and began pacing. Gaia, he wished the earth would just swallow him up now. Sure, he deserved punishment but did the old bastard have to be so cruel. Zack alive? He had watched the man die!

Dersley went to get up but McDarren put a stilling hand on his arm. The bearded man chose to speak instead. “Ain’t no reason to cry, spikey. We just said that the SOLDIER was alive.”

Cloud wanted to strike the man, protocol be damned. “I’m not... crying.” Oh. He looked up at the bright blue sky. There was no rain. He touched a hand to his cheek and it came back damp.

Shit. He had let the old fools affect him more than he should have. Cloud was determined to prove their bluff. “How do you know any of this?” He shouted. Let them make up some stupid excuses. He’s be able to spot a lie a mile away.

McDarren nodded once at Dersley and the bearded man got up. Cloud watched them with suspicious eyes. What were they doing? Was it an ambush? He unsheathed First Sword and swung it in front of him, eyes narrowing. Dersley simply stepped around him and headed toward the shed.

“Better brace yourself, Spikey,” he called, unlocking the latch. He backed away from the door, letting it swing open slightly. Cloud tensed. ‘What?’ Had they been storing a beast in there to attack him while he was most vulnerable? His hand tightened on the hilt of the sword while his gaze fixed itself to the shed door.

There was a pause before the door swung open with such ferocity that it went flying off of its hinges. A figure emerged cautiously from the shadows, a bare foot appearing from behind the darkness. The foot was soon followed by a bare leg and another foot.

Cloud sparred McDarren a glance. The man was grinning with what appeared to be pride and nodded as he notice the blonde’s perusal. “It’s okay Cloud. I doubt he would ever hurt you.”

‘He?’ A soft growl brought Cloud’s attention back in front of him. He turned around, there was a long pause, and then his sword fell to ground. Unaware of anything else but the man that stood before him, he reached a shaky hand out in front of him. It was like a slap from the past. A ghost… a memory…

“Z-Zack,” He called weakly.

*~*~* *~*~*

Zack paced the interior of the shed, digging his nails into his palms until they bled. Every third pace, he let out a soft growl before returning to the routine. He wanted out. Why had those two old men caged him like this? Where they going to return him to ShinRa? Was that why those two old coots had forced him into these shorts? They chafed against his skin, irritating him.

Feeling his eyes shifting in rage, he struggled to calm down. He wanted blood. He wanted THEIR blood. He resisted the urge to kick and claw at the confining walls. Maybe acting human was his best chance at escape.

Gaia, he needed to kill something.

About to throw caution to the wind, he was stopped by the soothing murmur of a voice just outside the shed. Was ShinRa here already? He sniffed the air and froze. Desire flooded his system with the inhalation of the soft sweat and vanilla scent. It smelled like… love.

He knew this scent. If the erection raging between his thighs was any connection, he definitely knew this scent. He strained to hear more of the voice but it was replaced by the gravelly sound of the bearded man talking. They needed to shut up for a second.

“Zack want to hear love.” He murmured, slightly pissed. If they didn’t bring it back, he wouldn’t try to control himself. There would be issues; ShinRa be damned. The gravelly man- bearded guy, if he could remember correctly- finally stopped talking but was replaced by the lighter tones of the odd-eyed man.

He resisted the urge to punch the wall. Resuming his pacing, he kept track of the mystery scent with frequent inhalations of the surrounding air. By the time he had completed his fifth lap, the scent had turned heavy with misery. Enough was enough. The men had made the love smell sad. They would pay.

Ready to fling himself at the door, he was surprised when it opened on its own. The air was flooded with the bittersweet smell of love. Gaia, he couldn’t ever remember being this hard and pissed off at the same time. All the same, he wasn’t about to fall for some trap.

He made his cautiously toward the door. His mako-sensitive eyes struggled to grow accustomed to the sudden assault of light. Shielding one hand in front of his eyes, he took another precursory step forward; followed by a few more when no attack came. At last he emerged fully out of the building and allowed himself to grow accustomed to the freedom.

It was a few more moments before he noticed the shivering blonde man in front of him. His heart nearly lurched to stop and memories flooded his mind: The blonde clinging to him as they made love, the same blonde lying unconscious in his arms; the feeling of overwhelming fear and love. Cloud was… alive?!

He heard the young man murmur his name and a moment later, he had an armful of trembling limbs and soft chocobo hair. Kisses were reined all over his skin, exciting him. Pale hands reached up and grabbed his face, bringing their mouths together. Soft, pink lips met harsh, unyielding ones and sparks flew. They both ignore the soft chuckles coming from the old men.

He lifted Cloud off of the ground, wrapping the blonde’s slender legs around his waist. “Zack. Zack. Zack.” The little one repeated his name like a litany whenever the ex-SOLDIER would take breaths in-between kisses. He felt the dampness of tears on his bare shoulder and froze. Pulling back to look at Cloud, he frowned. The ex-Cadet’s face was streaked with tears and his small frame shook with the force of his sobs. Had he hurt him in some way?

“Zack…hurt Cloud?” He asked, cautiously. He watched the blonde shoot the two men a bewildered look and stifled the roar of jealousy that coursed through him. Why was the little one turning to these two? He growled and turned Cloud away from their gaze. “Mine,” he warned before sinking his teeth possessively into the blonde’s shoulder.

Cloud whined and his head lolled to the side. His scent dripped arousal making Zack bite harder in excitement. The bearded man took a step back, holding up his hands in surrender. Zack’s eyes drifted toward the lavender-eyed man. The old coop smiled and also took a step back.

He removed his teeth carefully from Cloud’s shoulder and licked the bite mark left there, apologetically. The blonde seemed to understand and graced him with a tearful smile. It was all he could do not to throw the little one on the ground and fuck him right here. ‘No,’ he thought, correcting himself. ‘Make love.’ This young man was cherished by him; not just a warm body to get his release from. He knew that instinctively yet he couldn’t help but feel the desire.

Zack lowered Cloud to his feet before turning to the two old men. He pushed the blonde behind him protectively. His lips quirked in amusement as Cloud’s scent spiked in irritation. Mako-green eyes locked onto amused light purple ones and the old man spoke.

“You are a man of great respect. You saved my granddaughter from being raped by a ShinRa grunt despite your loyalty to the company. You saved our village countless times over the years. When I saw you again on our humble Midgar road, carrying this one over here,” the odd-eyed man jerked a thumb in Cloud’s direction. “I knew it was fate. I wanted to repay you but it didn’t end up the way any of us expected.”

Zack tried following most of the conversation; it was just too damned difficult. The man talked too much. Was the man going to try and harm his Cloud? It didn’t look that way but he could never be too certain. He inhaled the blonde’s scent for reassurance. Cloud touched his arm and he felt the tension flow out of him.

The old man seemed to understand. His eyes filled up with tears as he offered them a sad smile. “I realize you probably don’t understand what I’m saying, great SOLDIER Zackary Fair, and for that I will always be sorry. What those bastards at ShinRa must have done to you…” He trailed off.

Zack felt Cloud tense. His nose was flooded with the scent of sadness. Growling, he turned bared his teeth threateningly at the old coot. Whatever the bastard had done to make Cloud hurt, he would pay for. Turning his back away from the two men, he wrapped the trembling blonde in his arms. This only seemed to agitate the volatile ex-Cadet.

Cloud pulled out of his arms and began to babble. He gestured wildly with his hands, pointing at himself and back at Zack. Realizing the words weren’t getting through; Cloud pulled the ex-SOLDIER down and kissed him. Just like that, the rage flew out of him.

His tongue darted out and probed at the blonde’s lips. The little one parted the willingly, parting them to suckle on Zack’s tongue. Totally immersed in the kiss, he didn’t notice Cloud waving the two men away.


*~*~* *~*~*

“Be happy.” McDarren mouthed to Cloud before turning and following Dersely. Cloud felt like crying and leaping for joy all at the same time. It was foreign feeling; not one he had felt in many years. He allowed himself to sink into Zack’s warmth. He wondered briefly where the man’s pants were before falling into the sensation.

The kiss consumed him. The man’s lips were firm and gentle, much like they had been years ago; unchanging.

No, that wasn’t quite true. Things HAD changed. They had made themselves apparent with Zack spoke and his actions. The once great SOLDIER could no longer understand what was being said. Sure, he picked up on the occasional phrase but it was obvious that the rest of it was jibberish to him. Cloud’s chest ached. He grasped at Zack’s broad shoulders as a bittersweet emotion coursed through him. The man may not have acted the same but Gaia, he was alive.

Zack was alive.

Finally breaking off the kiss, he let his arms fall to his sides. Zack shot him an irritated look and tried to drag him back into his embrace. “Want kiss. Give Zack!” The dark-haired man growled. Cloud rolled his eyes. He didn’t see why Dersley had been afraid of the ex-SOLDIER. Zack acted like a petulant child.

Cloud grabbed the man’s pouting face between his hands and shook his head. “No,” he over enunciated. Pointing at himself, he shot Zack a stern glare. “Zack hold Cloud first.”

Zack seemed to understand that. His face smoothed and a beatific smile broke out across his lips. Cloud’s breath caught in his throat. He had missed that smile; the grin that could wipe away the hurt of a bad day. Strong arms surrounded him and he sank into the embrace happily.

Snuggling against the strong chest, Cloud closed his eyes. Gaia, he was tired. It was like an enormous weight had lifted off of shoulders, leaving him weary but happy. He wondered what Zack would think if he just collapsed at his feet. It would probably give the man a mini panic attack. Picturing a flustered Zack, Cloud barely controlled a giggle.

He felt the man jump and was pulled away from the warm chest. Mako eyes drifted over his body before returning to stare into his eyes. “Chocobo happy?” Zack wanted to know.

Cloud scowled. “I’m not a Chocobo! What have I told you about calling me…?” He trailed off. This wasn’t the same Zack. He wouldn’t understand why he was being yelled at.

Years ago Cloud would get mock-angry about the plethora of Zack’s seemingly endless nicknames. The man has usually responded by ruffling Cloud’s hair or pulling him into a kiss. Had that reaction changed as well?

“Yeah, I’m happy,” he consented. “How did you know?” When no answer came, Cloud sighed and laid his head back onto the man’s chest.

Just about to settle into a comfortable silence, a soft rumble broke the peace. ‘What in the world?’ He looked up at an embarrassed Zack in confusion. Had that been the man’s stomach? “Are you hungry?”

Zack scrunched his eyebrows before pushing Cloud away from him. The man noticed Cloud’s confused expression. “Zack hunt,” he explained, striding toward the neighboring forest. He hadn’t gotten more than a few steps before a solid weight slammed into his back. Snarling, he spun around, prepared to attack.

Cloud glared back, wrapping his arms even tighter around the ex-SOLDIER’s arms. His scent positively reeked of fear and nervousness. “You don’t need to go back in that forest. I can feed you. I’ll take care of you from now on.”

All Zack understood from that conversation was the promise of a meal. He relaxed and scooped the blonde up in his arms. Ignoring Cloud’s protests he started toward the forest again. With each step closer to the sheltering trees, Cloud’s panic seemed to rise. His scent was so overpowering that it caused Zack’s own panic to rise. Someone was about to snap. He prayed to Gaia it wasn’t himself.

“Meal!” Cloud screamed. “Zack food! Cloud make Zack food! Oh Gaia. Zack, please don’t go back in that forest. Cloud buy you food. Yum yum!”

As the scent of fear increased and the element of noise was added to it, Zack’s heart began to race with his own fear. It was too much. His body screamed at him to make Cloud’s fears disappear and his mind screamed for him to stop the horrendous yelling. He was going to break…

“Please Zack. I don’t want to lose you again. ShinRa could still be in the forest. Forest Bad! Zack no go forest!” Cloud voice rang with desperation. He wrapped his slender arms around the man’s neck, burying his face in the broad shoulders.

Zack dropped Cloud unceremoniously on the soft grass before blanketing the young man’s trembling body with his own. He needed to stop that horrible yelling; he just wasn’t willing to kill the person he cherished the most. Fear made him edgy and dangerous, like the wild beast he was said to have become. He couldn’t control himself.

Zack tightened his hold on Cloud, crushing the blonde’s slender body under his own. If there was any way to distract the ex-Cadet this was it. They both needed to calm down; more so Zack than anyone else.

He bent his head to Cloud’s and allowed their mouths to meet briefly before sliding his mouth to the conjuncture of the young man’s throat. Cloud’s pulse beat beneath his lips, igniting a foreign hunger deep within Zack. It came out of nowhere, rushing at him with the same speed and intensity as his body hardened, urging him to take the blonde again and again. His hands caught at Cloud’s hips, drawing them toward his own, possessively. He wanted this. He needed this sacred ritual to alleviate his fear; to alleviate Cloud’s fear. They hadn’t been strangers to each other’s bodies; he could feel that particular answer in his bones.

“Will have Cloud,” he growled, licking gently at the exposed throat. He couldn’t bear the thought of rejection. The beast he had become cried out to for this fragile man; cried out to possess all that he was and would ever be. Three years was too long. He would take matters into his own hands, with or without permission.

*~*~* *~*~*


With the stalled trip to the forest, Cloud began to calm down. He hadn’t wanted to lose Zack. A large part of him was still in denial that all of this was real. He didn’t want this little piece of heaven ripped from him. If the man ventured into the forest and got captured by remaining ShinRa officials, there was little Cloud could do to stop it. Even the excessive weight of an angry Zack bearing down on him was preferable to his capture.

Speaking of which… What the hell was he doing? It was dangerous doing it in a public place. If either McDarren or Dersley returned, there would be some explaining to do. The logical part of his pointed out that technically he and Zack were on the outskirts of the farmland so would probably not be spotted.

The ex-Cadet flushed bright red has Zack tore down his shorts and thrust his erection in Cloud’s face. All thoughts of legality and reluctance fled his mind as the man’s long fingers wrapped around it and began to pump.

Cloud watched in fascination as Zack’s foreskin moved with the downward stroke of his hand, revealing the swollen head. Adept fingers reached up to tease the sensitive slit once before resuming stroking. Up, down, up down. He could see the thin veins throbbing beneath the thin layer of skin as they were stimulated with each erotic thrust.

Pre-cum dribbled out of the gabbing slit, lubricating each glide of the ex-SOLDIERS hand; the scent of which was causing a rather noticeable effect in Cloud’s pants. He spread his legs a little wider to alleviate the pressure of his sudden erection.

It had been too long.

Cloud ached with the desire to take Zack’s throbbing penis deep into his mouth. He wanted to reacquaint himself with the man’s taste; to memorize it if he… ‘No, don’t think it,’ he scolded himself. He wouldn’t let Zack get taken from him again; not if he could prevent it with every fiber of his being.

Zack growled with pleasure as his hand sped up. His hand slipped a couple of times as his excitement grew. Cloud’s lids lowered with desire as the scent of lust consumed him. Not bothering with thoughts, he reached out a tentative hand, placing it gently over Zack’s. The man stilled for a moment, looking up in surprise.

Licking his lips, Cloud flushed with a combination of embarrassment and arousal. “Cloud…taste?”

Zack stared at him for a few moments until Cloud began to get the sinking feeling that the man didn’t understand. He was going to die of embarrassment if he had to repeat himself. There was a painful few seconds before the ex-SOLDIER placed the tip of his cock on Cloud’s lips with a sigh of satisfaction.

Opening with a mixture of relief and lust, Cloud savored the velvety salt as it descended like manna onto his tongue. Zack’s erection swelled even larger and he gagged, tears forming behind his eyes. He eased up on the length, settling for nibbling lightly around the head. Wrapping his hand around it, barely, he began sliding along the base with ease. The man threw his head back and let out a low groan of approval.

Zack throbbed hotly against his tongue, secreting spurts of pre-emission with every awkward thrust. Cloud couldn’t remember ever being more turned on. Stifling a whimper, he suckled harder, desperately needing more of the man’s unique flavor. This ancient almost-ritual offered him comfort, reminding him that the man he had loved was back in his arms. Each burst of salt on his tongue was like a gift from the gods.

Angling his head to the side, more of the hot length slid into his mouth. An animalistic whine escaped Zack’s throat has his hips punched forward.

“Cloud,” he cried out, clawing at the grass beneath them. Clods of green earth flew into the air, showering them with fragments of dirt and blades of grass. The blonde eased up on the length before placing a gentle kiss to the head.

A mixture between a whine and a growl escaped the man’s lips and he tried thrusting forward again. Cloud moved his head to the side just in time. Maybe he was being selfish but he needed Zack’s hands on him; he needed to feel all that the ex-SOLDIER had become. It was fast becoming an ache that refused to abate.

Lifting his pelvis up, Cloud thrust frantically into the air. ‘Please Zack,’ he thought. ‘Notice me, damnit. I need you.’ It was the stark truth in his mind that made him freeze up. He did need this. He ached for any form of connection that he could get with the larger male.

As if he were able to scent the desperation on the very air itself, Zack froze. An almost inhuman growl escaped his lips and he pounced. One moment Cloud was lying on his back, seeking relief; the next he was face down and spread eagle, like some kind of virgin sacrifice. His pants, along with the undergarments, were ripped off and thrown unceremoniously to the ground.

A startled gasp flew out of Cloud’s mouth as strong fingers spread the cheeks of his ass, exposing his entrance. He squirmed as a digit pressed against the sensitive opening and slowly began stroking it. He would have collapsed into a boneless heap right there if Zack hadn’t been supporting him. Cloud bit his lip, desperately holding back his wail of pleasure. The last thing they needed was McDarren and company coming back to check on their well-being.

Apparently satisfied at having re-acquainted himself with one of Cloud’s erogenous zones, Zack increased the speed of his strokes, teasing the tight muscle into lifeless putty. A keening sob escaped Cloud’s lips as the tip of his finger slipped in. The ex-Cadet rubbed covertly at the strong arm wrapped around his midriff, trying to anchor himself in the wake of such intense pleasure.

Zack grunted at the touch and freed one of his hands to reach around Cloud. Grabbing both of his wrists into one large hand, the ex-SOLDIER pulled them forward until the blond was lying with his arms stretched firmly out if front of him, ass in the air. His finger, having slowed with the movement, picked up its gentle caresses.

Cloud was going to fly apart; he could feel it in his bones. Granted, teasing was a great way to start any love making session but that wasn’t what he needed now. His soul cried out for something more intense; something that would remind that the man playing with him was real. “Zack,” the name slipped through his lips like a prayer.

“Mine,” came the dark response. The tip of his finger pressed harder against Cloud’s entrance, meeting no resistance this time.

“Oh dear Gaia, yes,” the blond sobbed, rocking his hips back to meet the teasingly light thrust. “Yours. Always.”

Zack let out a satisfied growl and pressed harder into the clenching ring of muscle. Cloud saw stars at he brushed against the most sensitive place in his body. He couldn’t control himself. He screamed. He regretted it almost instantly as he felt the larger man tense up behind him. ‘Don’t leave me,’ his mind screamed in illogical terror as Zack removed his finger.

“No!” Cloud cried. He twisted his wrist around to clasp onto the man’s calloused palm. “Cloud n-need Zack. Don’t leave me. I love you. Please don’t leave me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry!” He didn’t give a flying fuck if tears were streaming childishly down his face. He was going to break apart if he lost this man again. As Zack disentangled their hands, Cloud knew he was going to shatter into a million pieces. The tears came harder then.

A warm weight settled over his back and a pair of strong arms wrapped around him. Nuzzling his ear, Zack whispered, “Cloud sad?” The blond felt his heart lurch and a long-forgotten warmth rushed through him. The man was trying to understand. Despite how fragmented his mind was, Zack was still clinging onto the few human emotions he had left.

All for Cloud.

Leaning his head back, he sought the ex-SOLDIER’s mouth. Their lips meshed together in a dance so ancient, it could have been performed by the gods themselves. The moment the man’s tongue brushed his appendages, he parted them in expectance. His taste buds were flooded with the salty-sweet taste of masculinity and a flavor that was unique to Zack. He wrapped his own tongue around Zack’s, suckling intently.

If Cloud had to die in that moment he knew he would have put up a struggle. Life was suddenly a lot more valuable with the presence of the one he loved. It felt as if he had been given a second chance; had been reborn in some way. Whatever the feeling, it beat the hell out of the depression that had settled over his life like a gloom.

He reached a hand behind him to intertwine into Zack’s chaotic tangle of hair. The ex-SOLDIER mumbled contently before breaking away and peppering small kisses over Cloud’s face. It was like a small piece of his soul had come back to him. Having reconnected with that forgotten emotion, he wasn’t willing to let it go. Not without a fight.

Cloud turned himself around, holding out his arms. His desire to hold his lover was stronger than any desire to fuck. Zack stared at him once before a rather self-satisfied smirk broke out across his face.

The blond’s breath nearly caught in his throat. It was the same expression the man used to give him back in the “old days.” Had he returned to his senses, if one could even call it that? The silent question was answered as Zack literally pounced, wriggling his erection lasciviously against the juncture of Cloud’s thighs. The ex-Cadet stifled a moan. Well, maybe fucking was a little more important than holding the beastly guy right now.

“Zack make Love moan,” the ex-SOLDIER rumbled softly, reaching out his tongue to trail a long sensuous lick around the outer shell of Cloud’s ear. The sensation went straight down to the blond’s dick, causing him to buck his hips almost involuntarily.

The larger man loomed over Cloud, creating a protective cage around him with his well-muscled arms. Zack rolled his hips in time to the almost lewd caress of his tongue. Each powerful thrust brought their erections together in the blissful promise of something more.

Cloud felt something similar to the lustful desperation he had been feeling earlier, only more subdued. Allowing his thighs to fall open, he bucked into each commanding plunge of the man’s hips. Pre-cum dribbled steadily down his erection, making them slide against each other in a slippery tangle of flesh. Zack’s significantly larger penis seemed to dwarf Cloud’s as the heads brushed against each other. He would have felt insecure if he weren’t so cherished.

Zack threw his head back, panting heavily. “Cloud, baby. I love you.” He leaned forward suddenly, gazing intensely into Cloud’s eyes. The muscles in his arms bulged with the extra weight of his body. “I love you?” A surprised spark flickered in Zack’s luminescent eyes and they both slowed their thrusting until it was almost non-existent. “I love you…”

Cloud felt something joyous spark inside of himself. “You said a full sentence, Zack! You’re getting better!” He reached up one hand and cupped it gently against the man’s face. The ex-SOLDIER closed his eyes and leaned into his hand. “I love y-,” he started. The syllables seemed to stop at “y”. Frustration darkened Zack’s beautiful eyes. “Love y-” He snarled, ripping at his hair. “Love y-! Zack love y-!”

“Shh, it’s okay. You don’t have to get it perfectly the first time around. The truth is, you tried and that’s all that matters.” Cloud stilled Zack’s hand and leaned up for another kiss. He could see by the look in the man’s eyes that he hadn’t understood anything that had been said. Irritation caused the mako-enhanced irises to glow.

Cloud reiterated, “Cloud happy. Zack make Cloud happy.” Zack snarled nastily under his breath, muttering incoherently. ‘Doesn’t seem to be working,’ the blond thought, unhappily. Another means of distraction was in order if he didn’t calm down. As Zack shifted, his erection bobbed proudly between his legs, its head slick with their combined essences.

That would work.

Trying to stuff down the surge of embarrassment that coursed through him, Cloud brought three fingers to his mouth. He wet them, making deliberate, wide motions to draw the man’s gaze. It was lucky he had three years to practice the art of fingering or else he was screwed. Or not.

He trailed his fingers down his chest in what he hoped was a seductive manner. A finger laved across an erect nipple and he didn’t need to fake that moan that escaped his lips. Arching his back a little bit, he worked his digits between his legs. Still open and willing from the earlier session, Cloud thrust two fingers into his opening.

The atmosphere had become suspiciously quiet. Opening the eyes he hadn’t realized had closed, he watched Zack watch him. The ex-SOLDIER’s lips were parted as he tried to inhale more oxygen into his brain. His hands balled themselves into fists and straightened out, repeating the pattern several times over. The turgid erection stood prouder than Cloud had seen it in a while. Its deep purple head had cleared the foreskin entirely, a testament to the man’s excitement.

Cloud’s fingers found his prostate at long last. He lurched in arousal, letting out a low keening noise. He could never control his mouth when he was like this. “Zack!” As the name was spoken, Cloud jabbed his hot spot again. The pleasure weakened his knees and if Zack hadn’t been quick on his feet, he would have found himself in a disgraced tangle on the grass. His fingers slipped out of his ass and fell uselessly by his side.

The man lowered him to the grass reverently, simultaneously pulling Cloud’s knees to his chest. This position made Cloud feel vulnerable and exposed. He struggled to keep from closing his legs in embarrassment. His eyes widened as Zack spit unceremoniously into his palm before coating his cock with the saliva. This was really happening. After all of these years, he was finally getting to be with the man he loved? Hopefully, nothing else interrupted them.

Zack leaned forward, placing the knob of his erection against Cloud’s opening. He held the blond’s knees to his chest, strong fingers digging into his calves deeply. Cloud thrust back against the man’s swollen tip.

The ex-SOLDIER penetrated him slowly but insistently until he could feel the man’s crisp nether hair tickling the juncture of his ass. Straining to look down, Cloud reveled in the slow burning stretch as Zack filled him up. Inch by solid inch disappeared into his entrance until it was impossible tell where one stopped and the other began. It was a beautiful sight: rigid, throbbing cinnamon and beige skin meshed so perfectly against soft peach and coral flesh.

Zack stilled his small thrusts, allowing Cloud’s hole to adjust to the right girth, then pulled out slowly, moaning softly as he did so. “Cloud,” he panted, realigning his hips before slamming back in. The slap of sweaty flesh meeting sweaty flesh aroused Cloud even more than he could have ever thought.

He clutched at Zack’s arms as the man began to ride him. His thrusts were long and deep, each one propelling Cloud backward until he was sure he was going to have a permanent grass stain on his ass later. Each slam of his hip connected with that special spot deep inside of him, rendering him incoherent. All he could do was lay like a rag doll against the ground. He was pretty sure he was screaming from the pleasure of it all.

Something wet slid down Cloud’s cheek. Gaia, was he crying again?! Zack was probably going to be very confused if he kept… ‘No wait. That’s not me.’ He looked up into Zack’s blazing blue-green eyes. Tears trickled down the man’s cheeks as he gripped Cloud’s thighs tighter. Noticing the blond’s near-panic worry, Zack shot him a part lustful, part confused look. He apparently didn’t notice the tears on his own face. Cloud stretched up as far as he could and wrapped his arms around the ex-SOLDIER even as pleasure ripped through his body.

If Zack didn’t notice the tears, that made them okay for the moment.

The dark-haired man moved his hands down to Cloud’s hips, pulling him against his hard body so that he was seated on his cock. The angle impaled the blond so deeply he knew he was never going to stop feeling the man. That was perfectly fine, as far as he was concerned.

Zack hugged him possessively close to his chest while reaching between them to take Cloud’s cock into his hand. His hand slid up and down, using some of the blond’s fluids to make the strokes easier. Kissing Cloud’s neck, he let out a weary growl, his hips punching forward even faster. Apparently the leverage wasn’t enough for him because not a moment later the man was grabbing the blond by the hips and impaling him savagely on his swollen cock. Cloud’s erection got neglected in the action.

They moved against each other faster and harder, until one life was blurred into the other. They were one again, moving as they had many times before. The years that had hindered them flew away, leaving behind meshed flesh and interlocking souls. It wasn’t just a mating of the body… it was a fusing of their destinies. As Zack made love to Cloud, their individual Lifestreams were merging together once more, as they were always meant to do.

Cloud cried. Arms wrapped securely around Zack’s neck, he sobbed into the man’s shoulder. He still couldn’t believe that the man he had loved and lost was here in front of him once again. Granted, there had been a few changes made but it was still Zack.

For the first time, the ex-SOLDIER seemed to understand he wasn’t crying because he was hurt. The man brought their mouths together as his cock rocked gently against Cloud’s swollen prostate. He teased the blond’s erection, swirling a thumb lightly around the head. It was Zack’s only means of distraction for the ex-Cadet.

Cloud loved him for it.

Zack’s hands moved faster on Cloud’s length, and his thrusts became even more powerful. Several times he almost slid off of the man’s lap, but each time a muscular arm caught and steadied him . On his next plunge deep inside of the blond, the dark-haired man moaned long and loud. Cloud’s cock pulsed wildly in time to Zack’s, jerking once before spraying the man with seed.

Zack’s fingers dug deeply into Cloud’s waist as his cock was milked from the inside out. The gentle tugging deep inside was his undoing. With a guttural howl, he came deep inside of Cloud, painting the blond’s moist walls with his hot essence. Instinct took over and the man sank his teeth deep into the slender shoulder before him. He hissed, pushing into the bite. “Yes, Cloud belong to Zack,” the blond whimpered , stroking the ex-SOLDIER’s dark hair. Zack’s arm wrapped possessively around Cloud’s waist as he carefully removed his teeth from his shoulder.

“Mine,” he reminded Cloud pointedly, before leaning back to lie on the grass. Just about to make them comfortable, the man suddenly froze and barred his teeth in a silent snarl. Cloud lifted his head sleepily from Zack’s chest. What was going on? He didn’t get a chance to ask before the man placed him almost reverently onto the ground and moved to stand in front of him. His stance was slightly hunched and loose, a pose that warned Cloud he was ready to attack at a moments notice.

“Zack! What’s the matter?” He called out. Where the hell were his clothes?!

“Well, don’t you two make a cozy couple! Ain’t that just the image of cute?” A voice said, echoing out of the forest clearing. A moment later, a black suit and flaming red hair followed it. Cloud looked up, instantly recognizing Reno of the Turks. Reno smirked at them, tapping his E-Mag rod carelessly against his thigh.

Cloud instantly shot to his feet, covering himself with one hand. “What the hell do you want?” He started forward but Zack noticed his movements and pushed him back down onto the grass. The ex-SOLDIER growled once, threateningly, before turning back to the red-headed Turk.

The blond stifled a curse. Now was not the time for Zack to be issuing dominance. He didn’t care how feral the man had become; he wasn’t about to sit back and watch Zack get taken from him.

“Cloud no like!” He called, starting to rise to his feet. The man’s shoulders tensed and he spun around. There was no time to think before the dark-haired man knocked him back on his ass, roaring in his face. Gaia, he was going to start kicking asses soon!

“Cloud no like!” he hissed again, narrowing his eyes. Zack actually snorted once before turning his attention back toward Reno, who had been watching the entire scenario with surprising sympathy on his face.

“Fucker acts just like Tseng. Only difference is that that moron doesn’t have the excuse of going crazy to back up his actions!” Reno exclaimed, rolling his eyes. “You’ve got to put those fucking semes in their place, sometimes. Don’t take their shit or else they’ll walk-”

“Reno!” Another voice joined their “party,” accompanied soon by Tseng, a tall Wutainese man with black hair tied back in a neat ponytail. The man was neat and orderly in appearance, as usual; the only thing really out of place was the small tilak in the middle of his forehead. He held a small handgun pointed warningly at Zack’s chest as he walked over to Reno. What in the hells was Tseng doing here?
“Oi, boss man!” The red-head greeted happily. “Was just telling them about-”

“I know what you were divulging, hikari, and you will get your due punishment when we return to base. For now, refrain from speaking.” It was almost imperceptible but Cloud noticed Tseng moving discreetly to stand in front of the loud-mouthed Turk. It registered as odd on his inner radar scan but he promptly dismissed for more important things, such as Zack’s safety.

The ex-SOLDIER had his hackles up, stepping forward threateningly toward Reno every time Tseng made a motion to move forward. This, in turn, would move Tseng back to his original location until all there was were two dark-haired men circling each other like beasts.

It was beginning to get on Cloud’s nerves.

Finally having had enough, Cloud went to stand up and was promptly knocked back down. “Gaia damn you, Zackary Fair!” he yelled, tearing at his hair in frustration. Tseng made a move to step forward and Zack grabbed Cloud around the middle, pulling him against him. Predictably, his teeth sank into the already sore part of the blond’s shoulder, leaving another mark on top of the old one.

Zack growled aggressively as the Wutain Turk slightly lowered his gun. “Stay well behind me, Reno. I do not wish for you to be involved when they come collect what belongs to them,” Tseng said, quietly.

Cloud immediately tensed. Zack bit down harder, offering small comfort. He felt terror consume him and the ex-SOLDIER whined in confusion. “What do you mean ‘collect?’ Who are you talking about?” The older Turk would have ignored the question if not for a gentle nudge from Reno. A silent exchange seemed to go through them and finally, Tseng acknowledged Cloud with a soft sigh.

“SOLDIER has arrived to take Fair back to ShinRa with them… dead or alive.”


TBC